Leucanthemum plant named ‘Real Neat’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Leucanthemum  plant named ‘Real Neat’ that is distinguishable by a tight clumping habit, dark green foliage and inflorescences comprised of many pure white ray florets, tubular in shape becoming flared at the apex, arranged in two layers surrounding a golden yellow central disc and carried on strong stems, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Leucanthemum superbum.

Variety denomination: ‘Real Neat’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofLeucanthemum commonly known as Shasta daisy, which is grown as anornamental plant for use in the garden and landscape. The new cultivaris known botanically as Leucanthemum superbum and will be referred tohereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Real Neat’.

Leucanthemum is a genus within the family Asteraceae in which thecommonly referred to “flower” is botanically the inflorescence which iscomprised of outer showy ray florets surrounding smaller disc florets.

‘Real Neat’ arose and was selected from an ongoing breeding programwhich is conducted in West Sussex, United Kingdom. The breeding programcommenced in 2006 with the aim of developing new and improved commercialvarieties of Leucanthemum. Each year's breeding cycle consists ofcontrolled pollination between chosen male and female parents includingunnamed and unreleased seedlings retained from previous breeding cycles.Seed from each year's cycle is harvested and sown in early February ofthe following year after harvest, and new seedlings are raised andevaluated in the following summer.

‘Real Neat’ is a seedling selection that resulted from the controlledpollination of a single plant of Leucanthemum code number ‘L701-1’(unreleased seedling retained from a previous breeding generation) asthe female parent, using pollen from a single plant of Leucanthemum‘Real Joy’ (L35) (unreleased, unpatented) as the male parent. ‘RealNeat’ was selected based on the criteria of vigor, formal pure whiteflowers and strong stiff stems.

‘Real Neat’ was first asexually propagated in West Sussex, UnitedKingdom in 2008 using the method of vegetative division and subsequentlyby basal shoot cuttings. Since that time under careful observation, thedistinguishing characteristics of ‘Real Neat’ have been determined to beuniform, stable and true to type in subsequent generations of asexualpropagation via vegetative division and subsequently by basal shootcuttings.

SUMMARY

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thedistinguishing characteristics of ‘Real Neat’. ‘Real Neat’ has not beentested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may beobserved with variations in environmental, climatic, and culturalconditions, however, without any variance in genotype.

-   -   1. ‘Real Neat’ exhibits tight clumping habit.    -   2. The foliage of ‘Real Neat’ is dark green in color.    -   3. The inflorescence of ‘Real Neat’ is 6 cm in diameter and        comprised of ray florets arranged around the central disc.    -   4. The ray florets of ‘Real Neat’ are tubular in shape becoming        flared at the apex.    -   5. The ray florets of ‘Real Neat’ are pure white in color.    -   6. The ray florets of ‘Real Neat’ are arranged in two layers        around a deep golden yellow central disc.    -   7. The inflorescence of ‘Real Neat’ is carried on a strong stiff        stem.    -   8. Flowering of ‘Real Neat’ commences in early summer and        continues until fall.    -   9. After one year of growth in a 1 gallon container, a plant of        ‘Real Neat’ is 40 cm in height and 35 cm in width.    -   10. ‘Real Neat’ prefers a rich moist well-drained medium.    -   11. ‘Real Neat’ is hardy in USDA Zone 5 (−20° F. or −28° C.).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance ofthe new Leucanthemum cultivar named ‘Real Neat’ showing the color offoliage and flower as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in colorreproductions of this type. Color in the photographs may differ fromcolor values cited in the detailed botanical description, whichaccurately describe the actual color of ‘Real Neat’. Both photographswere made using conventional techniques and although flower and foliagecolor may appear different from actual color due to light reflectance,it is as accurate as possible by conventional photography.

FIG. 1 illustrates in the foreground a nine months old plant (frominitial cuttings) growing in a 2-liter container outdoors in WestSussex, United Kingdom. The illustrated plants have not been pinched ortreated with any chemical growth regulators.

FIG. 2 depicts a close-up view of the inflorescence of a plant of ‘RealNeat’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following is a detailed botanical description of the new cultivar‘Real Neat’. Observations, measurements, values and comparisons werecollected in Santa Barbara, Calif. from a 12 month-old plant growingoutdoors in the garden border. Color determinations are made inaccordance with The 2007 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart fromLondon, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Classification:    -   -   Genus and species.—Leucanthemum superbum.        -   Denomination.—‘Real Neat’.        -   Common name.—Shasta daisy.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Leucanthemum plant ‘L701-1’ unreleased            proprietary seedling, unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Leucanthemum plant ‘Real Joy’ (or also known as            ‘L35’, unreleased, unpatented).-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—Tight clumping habit.        -   Commercial category.—Perennial herb.        -   Use.—For garden and landscape.        -   Suggested commercial container size.—4-inch and 1-liter            containers.        -   Propagation method.—Basal shoot cuttings and division.        -   Rooting system.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Vigor.—Vigorous.        -   Time to develop roots (range).—14 to 20 days are needed for            an initial cutting to develop roots.        -   Temperature to develop roots (range).—The recommended air            temperature is 20-21° Centigrade.        -   Crop time (range).—4 to 6 months to produce a 1-liter            container from a basal shoot cutting.        -   Plant dimensions (one year).—40 cm in height and 35 cm in            width.        -   Cultural requirements.—Grow in full sun and rich, moist            moderately fertile well-draining soil.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 5.-   Stems:    -   -   Branching.—Basal.        -   Color.—146A.        -   Basal stem length.—15 cm.        -   Diameter.—6 mm to 1 cm.        -   Shape.—Cylindrical.        -   Surface.—Furrowed, farinaceous.-   Foliage:    -   -   Type.—Evergreen.        -   Arrangement (combination).—Opposite and basal.        -   Internode length (range).—0.5 cm to 1.0 cm.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Margin.—Serrate; teeth spaced at 4 mm to 6 mm intervals,            depth 2 mm.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaf attachment (range).—Basal to sessile.        -   Leaf color (abaxial surface).—N137B.        -   Leaf color (adaxial surface).—137D.        -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Leaf dimensions (when fully expanded).—20 cm in length, 3 cm            in width.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate.        -   Vein color (both surfaces).—145A.        -   Leaf surface (both surfaces).—Glabrous.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Capitulum.        -   Inflorescence quantity (average).—30 (including buds) per            2-liter container plant.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—6 cm.        -   Inflorescence depth.—3.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence shape.—Radiate; ray florets densely arranged            around receptacle, mostly in two layers.        -   Inflorescence color.—Central disc color: Ranges between 23A            and N163D. Ray floret color: Pure bright white, nearest to            NN155D.        -   Fragrance.—Light sweetly perfumed.        -   Aspect.—Disc facing upward.        -   Bud dimensions.—0.50 cm in height and 1.0 cm in diameter.        -   Bud shape.—Flattened sphere.        -   Bud color.—147B.        -   Bud surface.—Glabrous.        -   Blooming season.—Early summer to fall.        -   Peduncle shape.—Cylindrical.        -   Peduncle length.—14 cm to 20 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—4 mm to 5 mm.        -   Peduncle surface.—Furrowed with sparse hairs.        -   Peduncle color.—144A.        -   Ray florets.—Ray floret shape: Tubular, quilled. Ray floret            quantity: 60 to 70 per inflorescence. Ray floret            arrangement: Radiate. Ray floret corolla tube dimensions: 6            mm to 8 mm in length, 1.5 mm in diameter. Ray floret corolla            tube color: Pure bright white, nearest to NN155D. Petal            shape: Elliptic, lightly ribbed. Petal surface (abaxial):            Glabrous. Petal surface (adaxial): Pubescent. Petal apex:            Rounded, emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal dimensions:            8 mm in length and 4 mm to 5 mm in width. Petal color: Pure            bright white, nearest to NN155D.        -   Disc floret.—Disc diameter: 3 cm. Disc floret quantity:            Numerous, approximately 400 to 500 per inflorescence, massed            at center of receptacle. Disc floret color: Ranges between            23A and N163D. Disc floret dimensions: 4 mm in depth and 1            mm in diameter. Disc floret shape: Tubular, rarely opens.            Disc floret petals: Ranges from 3 to 5 in number, basally            fused. Disc floret petal color: Ranges between 23A and            N163D. Disc floret petal apex: Acute.        -   Receptacle color.—147B.        -   Receptacle shape.—Convex.        -   Receptacle dimensions.—0.5 cm in height and 2.5 cm in            diameter.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence (range).—10 to 12 days on the            plant; ray florets are persistent.-   Seed: Not observed to date.-   Disease and pest resistance/susceptibility: No disease or pest    resistance known to the inventors.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘Real Neat’ is distinguishable from the female parent, ‘L701-1’ byvigor. ‘Real Neat’ exhibits considerably more vigor than ‘L701-1’. ‘RealNeat’ is distinguishable from the male parent, ‘Real Joy’ by its tubularshaped petals. Whereas ‘Real Joy’ exhibits white flowers with mostlyflat petals slightly cupped where attached to the central disk, ‘RealNeat’ exhibits white flowers with tubular petals.

The closest variety in overall appearance to ‘Real Neat’ can beconsidered to be Leucanthemum ‘Becky’ (unpatented). Whereas theinflorescence of ‘Real Neat’ is comprised of two layers of ray florets,the ray florets of ‘Becky’ are arranged in a single layer. In addition,the ray florets of ‘Real Neat’ are tubular in shape, while ‘Becky’exhibits flat ray florets.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Leucanthemum plant named‘Real Neat’ as shown and described herein.